The proportion of people working from home either during or after the pandemic has doubled, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
In 2019 it was recorded that 12.4% of people worked regularly from home, whilst the most recent figures for May 2021 show that, currently, a huge 25.9% of people are now working from home regularly.
It’s hard to say what that proportion will be this time next year, however, it seems absolutely reasonable to expect that it won’t drop particularly sharply as we have seen announcements from the likes of Nationwide and other businesses that they intend to let their staff continue to work from home indefinitely.
Add to this that many people are now looking for a new rental property, with the market heating up to boiling point over the past 12 months.
Anecdotally, you’ll have probably seen just how quickly quality rental properties are flying off the market. So, if you’re somebody who’s currently looking for a new rental property and are likely to be working from home this year, we’ve got some advice for you.
Broadband
Ok, this may seem a fairly obvious one, but if you’re going to be working from home then you need a decent broadband connection and you’d be surprised at how many areas that would appear like they have good infrastructure, actually have quite slow broadband connections.
It’s now really easy to see what kind of broadband speeds you can get at a property simply with a postcode. Most providers and comparison services will have a broadband checker on their website so that you can check what speeds you might be able to get, and it’s well worth checking this before you commit.
Sunlight
If you’re going to be working full time hours from home, then it really does make a huge difference if you have a room or space to work from that can get some natural sunlight.
A window near your desk can make all the difference when you’re working long hours. If you’re stuck in what feels like a broom cupboard this can seriously effect your mood and productivity, so when you’re taking a look round a new space, it’s worth trying to see which rooms may be suitable for home working and trying to figure out where you might be able to get some natural sunlight.
Move quickly
Here’s a fairly key point right now – if you’re looking and you’ve found a space that you think is ideal for home working then you’re going to need to move quickly.
So far, many property websites like Zoopla and Rightmove are reporting record traffic and enquiries through their platforms and certainly as an agent, we’re seeing huge demand come our way for quality rental property.
If you’ve seen somewhere you like that is suitable for your needs and is available, then the best advice is to get an application form in as quickly as possible, or alternatively speak to an agent as soon as possible so you’re on their books and they can let you know about new property coming to market.
